Newcastle United endured a miserable night at Chelsea.
While the eventual 3-2 scoreline in the Premier League made it look like a close affair for Newcastle, Eddie Howe’s side really weren’t at the races at Stamford Bridge.
The visitors were poor at the back and struggled for any composure in midfield. Indeed, attacks weren’t particularly convincing either, with Alexander Isak’s goal coming from some Chelsea dallying and Jacob Murphy’s strike appearing out of nowhere.
There were a number of rather anonymous performances in the black and white ranks as Newcastle failed to get going.
Little they tried worked and journalist Luke Edwards spotted one player way off the pace.
Sean Longstaff: Newcastle star tying shoelaces as team tried to spring a counter
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Edwards noticed Sean Longstaff tying his shoelaces as his team were trying to spring a counter on Chelsea, such was the lack of coherency in the Newcastle team on the night.
“Longstaff has not had a good five mins capped by stopping to do up his laces as his team tried to attack quickly,” he wrote.
Sean Longstaff: How did Newcastle midfielder play vs Chelsea?
Though Longstaff was not alone in failing to impress, the statistics do not make for pleasant reading.
According to WhoScored data, he failed to register a key pass or a shot at Stamford Bridge. Operating in the box-to-box midfield role, that is not a particularly good showing.
While context must be applied in that the 26-year-old is believed to be carrying a small injury, he hardly did much to suggest he’s got a regular starting spot when Newcastle do eventually recover the likes of Joelinton and Sandro Tonali.
Longstaff was not alone in failing to impress at Chelsea but incidents like the one Edwards points to sum up where he is at the moment. Way off the pace.
With Lewis Miley and Elliot Anderson also options in central midfield, perhaps taking him out of the firing line would be wise.
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