There was a lot of frustration as Newcastle United players left the field on Sunday.
Eddie Howe’s team loses to Aston Villa.
It always feels more painful when defeats happen at home.
A sold-out, expectant St James’ Park crowd heading into the city center to drown their sorrows, rather than celebrate with a ‘few’ drinks.
While some fans direct their frustration and anger at Newcastle United’s players, I have a problem with it.
This is why…
Here are Newcastle United’s last nineteen matches in the Premier League and the distances covered by each team in total (all stats via BBC Sports):
Newcastle United players 118.85 km and Aston Villa players 118.49 km
Newcastle United players 113.66 km and Wolves players 111.57 km
Newcastle United players 123.99 km and Leeds players 123.99 km
Newcastle United players 112.70 km and Palace players 111.78 km
Newcastle United players 111.14 km and Burnley players 109.81 km
Newcastle United players 116.83 km and Man U players 113.10 km
Newcastle United players 116.91 km and Chelsea players 108.91 km
Newcastle United players 109.91 km and Sunderland players 106.52 km
Newcastle United players 114.04 km and Burnley players 108.91 km
Newcastle United players 112.30 km and Spurs players 110.05 km
Newcastle United players 116.39 km and Everton players 111.74 km
Newcastle United players 112.40 km and Manchester City players 113.64 km
Newcastle United players 111.01 km and Brentford players 114.13 km
Newcastle United players 116.85 km and West Ham players 114.08 km
Newcastle United players 114.50 km and Fulham players 110.21 km
Newcastle United players 115.16 km and Brighton players 113.59 km
Newcastle United players 109.45 km and Forest players 106.43 km
Newcastle United players 112.94 km and Arsenal players 115.08 km
Newcastle United players 113.23 km and Bournemouth players 109.03 km
As you can see, the Newcastle United players worked harder and ran further than the Aston Villa players yesterday, not over a great distance, 118.85km and 118.49km, but still working harder and running further than their opponents.
You could accuse Newcastle United’s players of lacking inspiration, BUT not perspiration.
The thing is, this isn’t a one-time thing; it is so rare that the opposition works harder and goes further than Eddie Howe’s team.
In only three of these last nineteen Premier League matches (BBC Sport previously did not show these statistics of total distances covered in a match) have Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United players seen the opposition cover more distance.
In none of the last eleven PL matches have the opposition gone further than Newcastle United’s players. That is especially credible because the Newcastle selection has missed so many players. A recent report reveals that United’s first-team squad has lost more days to injuries than any other Premier League club this season.
There was even one of the last 11 PL matches where the opposition players matched the NUFC players when it came to running AND it was a real highlight.
Leeds United came to St James’ Park and delivered an epic change for Newcastle United’s players to emulate. NUFC win the match in those final dramatic moments AND both sets of players each run an incredible 123.99km. At the final whistle both sides were on their feet.
One of my biggest hates is when NUFC fans accuse Newcastle United players of not trying. Maybe we’ve had it happen in the past, but I honestly don’t see that in the Newcastle United team that Eddie Howe has.
Sure, Newcastle sometimes have players who don’t play well, or lack a bit of confidence, form and so on, or even inspiration.
But don’t accuse them of not trying, of not putting in the effort.
#hate #top #criticism #Newcastle #United #players