Newcastle 0-1 Borussia Monchengladbach match report: Steve McClaren left with plenty to ponder after defeat
Newcastle United signed off their pre-season campaign with another defeat - and Steve McClaren has plenty of thinking to do
Newcastle United won’t lose too much sleep over losing to Borussia Monchengladbach if they beat Southampton next Sunday.
However there were still
a few causes for concern for the Magpies after a slender defeat at St James’ Park.
Chief among those is the fact the defence still has a very familiar look to it – with the usual cast of characters starting the game.
A worrying lack of bite in the final third was also on show.Moussa Sissoko cut a frustrated figure at times too, but the three new boys Aleksandar Mitrovic, Chancel Mbemba and Georginio Wijnaldum at least gave the crowd a lift.
Pre-season friendlies are extremely difficult to judge but Newcastle head into their opening game with Southampton with some fans understandably nervous about how the campaign will pan out.
The big omission from the team sheet was Fabricio Coloccini, who is yet to kick a ball for the Magpies this summer. A severe lack of match fitness, caused by an achilles injury, means he is highly unlikely to be included when the Saints come to town on Sunday.
McClaren, who watched the first part of the game from the stands, had made it clear he wanted to see the centre-back in action before making a decision on his future, and his omission will not dampen speculation linking him with a move to Crystal Palace.
It means that either Steven Taylor or Mike Williamson will probably start in the heart of defence against the Saints providing Chancel Mbemba can prove his fitness in the next week.
The starting line-up included seven of the players that faced Real Sociedad at the same stage of pre-season as last year. But the arrivals of Wijnaldum, Mitrovic and Mbemba, two of whom started on the bench, have raised hopes before the start of the campaign.
The opening 20 minutes resulted in nothing unexpected against the German side with Gladbach’s slick passing game impressing. Having said that, only an effort from Mahmoud Dahoud in the opening exchanges caused any real concern for the Toon back four. At the other end Gabriel Obertan’s run down the left wasn’t matched by a decent finish as his effort skidded wide.
Seven minutes later a Jack Colback corner was met by the head of Mike Williamson but his effort was also off target.
With half an hour on the clock, Ibra Traore cracked an effort that went marginally over Tim Krul’s bar.
On 37 minutes a free-kick from Raffael flew over the Gallowgate but Newcastle responded when Papiss Cisse’s shot hit the heels of Wijnaldum before Sommer gathered the ball.
As the first half neared a close Massadio Haidara struck a low effort which needed Sommer’s full attention to turn it around the post.
Moments later Haidara’s cross from the left was knocked down by Wijnaldum before Cisse headed wide.
The two sides went in level at the break and there were no changes, with McClaren handed the first half starters futher opportunity to stake a claim.
The players had the home crowd off their feet when Sissoko powered into the penalty area and while he looked offside the flag stayed down and the France star struck the crossbar. Cisse followed up to send an effort wide.
The German outfit responded when Lars Stindl guided a shot at Krul’s goal but the Toon keeper was equal to it.
With 52 minutes on the clock the Dutch connection of Janmaat and Wijnaldum linked up but the ex-PSV Eindhoven skipper miscontrolled and Yann Sommer came out to gather the ball.
Just after the hour mark St James’ Park fans were on their feet again as they applauded Mitrovic and Mbemba on for their home debuts for United.
Somewhat surprisingly Mbemba was deployed at right-back while Williamson and Taylor continued in the middle. Rolando Aarons also replaced Obertan, with the French winger putting in another up and down display.
But it was a Gladbach substitute who grabbed the opening goal after a mix-up in the Toon defence.
United seemed to have escaped when Aarons upended Josip Drmic but the ref didn’t give a penalty. The ball dropped to Steven Taylor to clear but he rolled it to Thorgan Hazard, and the brother of Eden swept home at the Leazes End.
Mitrovic had a chance in front of goal on 74 minutes when Williamson aimed a long ball his way but he could only head at Sommer. And Gladbach could have sealed the win when sub Havard Nordveit steered a good chance wide.
Mitrovic was handed a golden chance with four minutes left when De Jong placed the ball perfectly into his path, but the Serb struck it against the post.
It was the type of chance players dream about on their debut but, like at York in midweek, it wasn’t to be for Mitrovic.
UNITED: Krul (c), Janmaat (Mbemba 62), Williamson, Taylor, Haïdara, Anita (De Jong 75), Colback, Sissoko (Perez 81), Obertan (Aarons 62), Wijnaldum, Cissé (Mitrovic 62).
GLADBACH: Sommer, Christensen, Herrmann (Drmic 61) , Dahoud (Dominquez 61), Raffael (Hazard 61), Stindl, Traore (Ritter 84), Wendt (Johnson 61), Schulz (Brouwers 76), Jantschke (Nordtveit 76), Xhaka (Korb 76)
Ref: Jon Moss
Crowd: 21,088
後防仍然係好大鑊，mbemba 換入黎竟然係打右閘，即係開季好大可能都係英乙臣拍 S.Taylor……
