Newcastle United a 'far cry' from team we recognise as Joelinton moment criticised

Newcastle United headed into the international break with a bounce rather than just a spring in their step. Successive victories over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and then Arsenal and Nottingham Forest in the league will have that type of effect.

After an inconsistent start to the season that seemed to pose as many questions as it did answers, finally there was a feeling of progress and a vision of what could come for Newcastle. Or so we thought. Monday's 2-0 defeat at home to West Ham United followed by yesterday's rather flat draw at Crystal Palace have made it so that positive run into the international break never existed.

Instead we're back in a land of inconsistency and uncertainty regarding what Newcastle will serve up next. In attack it's been very un-Newcastle like of late, a point recognised by Danny Murphy while doing his analysis of the Newcastle game on Match of the Day.

The former Liverpool and Fulham player was critical of Joelinton's decision making, while pointing to the lack of dynamism in the Newcastle squad at present. Using an example of Joelinton ignoring an opportunity around him before hitting a long cross out of play, Muphy said; “It’s not always a technical thing, but it’s also a decision-making thing high up the pitch.

"Here, there is a little overlap, a little easy ball for a simple cross into the box. He [Joelinton] chooses not to and then the delivery is really poor, it’s lazy.

“A high, loopy cross with only two players in the box… We have seen Newcastle be dynamic and have good spells and score lots of goals but this is a far cry from it.”