Interesting to read through these comments from BBC Sport after Newcastle United lost 2-3 to Brentford at St James’ Park.
The comments from neutral people in particular tell…
It was very different to what Newcastle United fans had come to expect from BBC Sport’s ‘neutrals’.
BBC Sport comments from neutrals in the past have largely been a catalog of abuse directed at NUFC supporters.
Particularly stuff about the owners of Newcastle United and the media-inspired fuss that NUFC fans have become accustomed to when they are blamed for who now owns their club.
On this occasion, politics was (almost) completely absent and instead concentrated on matters on the ground…
The BBC Sport readers comments of neutral people, Brentford fans, one or two Newcastle supporters also contribute (as do many Sunderland supporters, often pretending to be Newcastle fans…):
‘First time to Newcastle. Great city and always love the Geordies at our house.
Thought we were brilliant. But I think there are some really good players in black and white. Tonali is class. That’s not Wissa. Made our day completely useless. Get rid of it.
I think you’ll click, unless it’s the number of games that makes everyone just a little worse. Good luck in Europe.
COYB’
‘Too puffed up against his old club, trying too hard. Needs to relax and just play his normal game.
And the rest of the team sometimes has to run to him when he makes those sudden runs…’
“Wissa was quite good at Brentford, along with Mbueno. It must be used properly to reach its potential.”
‘Jordan Henderson sold his soul for Saudi money. Well done Jordan. SR1 is proud.’
‘I watched the game and as a neutral Newcastle there was a lack of energy and just no spark where has the team from 2 years ago gone?’
‘And have you seen their series of matches over the next few weeks – away boys!!!’
“Hey, the boys?
Are you a Sunderland supporter?’
‘Nufc will be eliminated from the Champions League in the next two play-off matches.
They are two or three goals behind in the first game and give up the fight, just like last week against Man City.”
‘And another Sunderland fan…’
‘As a Bees fan, I think we have done very well with the sale of Wissa. He was never as good as he thought he was or the price Newcastle paid for him. Mbuemo was the player who made our frontline tick. Add to that his age and I think you’ve been scammed.’
‘So far Newcastle have played 39 games this season. That’s the equivalent of more than a Premier League season and it’s only early February! Compare this to Man Utd deciding not to qualify for Europe last year and letting Grimsby knock them out of the Carabao Cup – they have played 27, as have Sunderland. Three games a week, no chance to work on things on the training field is difficult.’
“Newcastle tried to sign a few strikers early on last summer, but other clubs with more money decided they wanted them.
In the end, they got Woltemade late in the shop window with a bit of secrecy and deception, with the help of the selling club and the player; it’s sad that this is necessary these days.”
‘The problem is that Newcastle has caught up in terms of number of games. It played a lot more games than teams like Brentford, who generally have a week between games, while Newcastle play twice a week.”
‘Thank you for the good work of the Bees. A bit harsh on your team. Brentford are a very good Prem team, there is no shame in losing to them. Everyone should no longer know little Brentford, ask Villa, Man U, Liverpool etc.’
‘Brentford really is the team of the season. Great to watch. I hope they get a chance in Europe. From a Mackem.’
“As usual, Newcastle have initiated every decision. Well done, the bees.’
‘Then how did Brentford get a penalty?’
‘As a neutral the referee was a big failure. Okay, he awarded Newcastle a penalty, but then didn’t offer a card to the Brentford player, who stopped the Newcastle man from getting a shot on target. Rules say a red card for denying a scoring opportunity. And you complain that the referee favors Newcastle?’
‘In the end the best team won and you can’t say fairer than that. The oil billionaires were at home, scored two goals, had the rub of the green with the referee and still lost. Don’t you know where those 10 minutes of extra time come from?’
“They always get decisions and extra time.”
‘Trippier should be withdrawn by England because we have much better and younger right-backs. His defending for the winning goal in Outtara was so poor it was schoolboyish. He’s lost his legs.’
‘Very well done Brentford… you have shown what real football is about… it is absolutely not about Saudi money’
‘Newcastle have to be careful. They are going backwards and we saw the return of Mags burning their season tickets.”
“It will be put aside because Brentford got the three points but the Premier really tried to get it so we couldn’t. they should have been 3-1 and against 9 men in the second half but instead Newcastle got a dodgy pen and then the league, with nothing left to hide, threw another 9 minutes…my word, what a performance from the bees.’
“Well, that’s one interpretation of reality.”
‘As a Liverpool fan I have always had an affinity with Newcastle because of their style of play and their fantastic fans. But honestly, they wasted the Isak money on Woltemade and Wissa’
‘Unfortunately Liverpool also wasted the Isak money on Isak.’
“Yes… they did. But remember, their top three goals went to three of the protected big six. Isak’s tactics then left them one day to sign someone, otherwise they would only have Osula as striker.’
‘Isak was surrounded by Geordie thugs playing Eddie & Jason’s lump it and hope football. No wonder he didn’t reach his full potential.’
‘Woltemade is not good enough, Wissa not good enough, Ramsey not good enough, Willock not good enough, Murphy not good enough, Elanga not good enough. So much money is spent on average players.”
‘I don’t agree with that. They are good enough, but they have found themselves in a situation where they have not worked with their teammates on the training pitch, except just before each match. Even Elanga, he has worked with a large part of the team, but not with Woltemade and Wissa.
The brutal schedule (a new record in Newcastle) must also have an effect on mental and physical fatigue.’
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