Newcastle United’s woes are continuing this summer after the side put in a ‘painful’ performance in the first half against Team K League.
The summer of hard knocks continues for Newcastle United, who are competing in their third friendly of pre-season on Wednesday after suffering defeats to Celtic and Arsenal already.
Eddie Howe was no doubt hoping a game against Team K League – a selection of the K League’s biggest stars, playing together for the first time – would be an opportunity to finally get back to winning ways.
It’s been anything but, though, as Newcastle have struggled in the sweltering Suwon heat and continue to look down on their luck.
Team K League took the lead after 36 minutes when Kim Jin-Kyu was found in the box and lifted the ball over Nick Pope to score.
The classic ‘reeling in the fish’ celebration followed, just to rub a bit more salt in the wound, and Newcastle fans have been left fuming by their side’s performance in the opening 45.
Though it’s only pre-season, concerns are growing about how far the Magpies look from their best.
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Newcastle United fans left fuming after first-half display vs Team K League
Howe named a fairly strong starting XI with Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, Tino Livramento, Pope and new signing Anthony Elanga all playing from the off.
But, other than the bright Elanga, Newcastle lacked creative spark in the first half, and they were sloppy in midfield and defence, affording TKL many more chances to score.
With the new Premier League season now only a few weeks away, fans can’t help but be worried about the display.
“Jesus Christ pre season or not this is awful,” user @archieross09 posted on X.
@gllowgate82 added: “Blunt, lack any kind of urgency.
“Willock consistently caught wrong side of the ball. Gordon and Tino offering nothing down the left. Elanga looks like he’s the only player alongside Tonali that’s interested here.”
@Savage29492304 posted: “1-0 k league (the team who never play together btw) #NUFC Embarrassing stuff.”
User @ASmithSJ expressed concern about the quality of Newcastle’s back-up options: “I know it’s preseason but some of these players, who will be on the bench at the very least next season, genuinely wouldn’t get a game for a fair few Championship clubs.”
Newcastle United fans have justifiable concerns
If everything else was going right, losing to a thrown-together team in the middle of an intense heat wave might not be so concerning.
But when this is just the latest bad thing to happen in a summer that has lurched from one disaster to the next, it’s understandably not shrugged off quite as easily.
Newcastle have missed out on seven top targets like James Trafford and Hugo Ekitike, with the imminent arrival of Aaron Ramsdale hardly enough to make up for it.
The club should have been pushing on this summer to build upon the Carabao Cup win and Champions League return, but instead have gone backwards, with Alexander Isak’s desire to leave now hanging like the Sword of Damocles.
It’s no surprise that fans are so frustrated.
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