Eddie Howe’s team played dreadfully at Ewood Park, and the Newcastle players showed no improvement from their awful performance against Arsenal a few days previously.
Before kickoff, this match was labeled as the Magpies’ most crucial of the season, but their performance did not reflect the significance.
Ultimately, Newcastle did manage to progress to the next round of the FA Cup, but it required a penalty shootout to overcome Championship side Blackburn Rovers.
Making a return after missing the Arsenal game due to illness, Martin Dubravka emerged as Newcastle’s hero. The 35-year-old goalkeeper saved his teammates, who continued a recent streak of subpar performances.
Alan Shearer expressed his dissatisfaction, highlighting why he is currently concerned about the state of Newcastle United.
Alan Shearer is worried about Newcastle United
Eddie Howe’s team played dreadfully at Ewood Park, and the Newcastle players showed no improvement from their awful performance against Arsenal a few days previously.
Alan Shearer expressed his concerns about Newcastle United’s current form, stating, “What worries me about Newcastle is last year, time and time again, we saw them outrun teams, we saw them out-power teams. Yet for the last two or three months of this season, and certainly tonight, we haven’t seen anywhere near enough of that. They look really weak.
“The goal they gave away is typical of how they are playing and how they are giving goals away. I’m really worried being a Newcastle fan.”
Newcastle were poor despite FA Cup win vs Blackburn
Eddie Howe has consistently emphasized that intensity defines his Newcastle United team’s identity, but this was not evident against Arsenal and continued to be absent against Blackburn.
Newcastle’s performance at Ewood Park was notably poor, with Blackburn creating numerous chances. On a different night, Blackburn could have emerged victorious.
Defensively, the team continued its troubled run, conceding a goal due to a mistake by Jamaal Lascelles, who filled in for the rested Sven Botman. Despite fielding a strong lineup, Newcastle should have been superior to Blackburn, but that was not the case.
The Magpies ultimately relied on the unpredictability of penalties to secure their place in the next round.
While Eddie Howe will be pleased with the advancement, he is unlikely to be satisfied with his players’ performance. Tough truths need to be communicated in the coming days, as the team currently lacks the identity that performed exceptionally well last season.