Despite all the excitement and anticipation, Newcastle United were unable to follow up that incredible night against Paris Saint-Germain with a victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Instead, the Magpies were beaten 1-0 by Dortmund at St James’ Park, as Eddie Howe’s side dropped to third in their Champions League group at the halfway stage.
It was a disappointing night for Newcastle, who just could not find an equaliser against the Bundesliga side. They certainly came close, with Gregor Kobel making some great stages. And when he was beaten, Dortmund were saved by the woodwork.
An intense atmosphere was expected after the events of PSG, but what transpired was very different. St James’ Park was nowhere near as loud or as raucous, with Dortmund silencing the crowd at times.
It was a complete contrast to the PSG game, when the singing and cheering was pretty much non-stop from the moment they opened the doors at St James’ Park.
The players produced a wonderful display full of fight and endeavour that night, and the Dortmund game saw a Newcastle team that was just as committed.
However, it did not go the Magpies’ way, and now TalkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara has a theory as to why Howe’s side were unable to replicate their performance against PSG.
Jamie O’Hara thinks Newcastle are ‘too pumped up’ for the Champions League
Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara spoke on TalkSPORT after Newcastle’s defeat to Dortmund, and suggested that the players were actually ‘too pumped up’ for the Champions League contest.
“Do you think some of the players watching that game get a little too pumped up?,” he said.
“We know St. James’ Park is rocking, we know the fans are behind you, we know what it means to play in a Champions League game for Newcastle. But you know when they are going in for a tackle and every tackle they make they’re like ‘yeah, come on’. Pump up the crowd. It’s like alright we get it, but you’re in the Champions League have a bit of composure, playing against top sides. Have a little bit of composure, a bit more knowhow.
“I think you can exert too much energy, when you are that pumped up, you can burn yourself and knacker yourself out from being too pumped up.”
Jason Cundy responded: “Maybe you’re on to something, maybe there is that element. But once they went 1-0 up against PSG that energy just flows through the ground and you couldn’t stop it. It literally was like a tsunami coming through that ground but once you went 1-0 down how do you recreate that? How do you get that back? I thought Dortmund, that’s how you play. Any team going to St. James’ Park, go there, defend in numbers.”
Newcastle lacked composure against Borussia Dortmund
It’s actually a really good point from O’Hara. There were times against Borussia Dortmund that Newcastle lacked composure.
The players seemed to be in a constant rush as if it was a cup final, and it led to some really panicked spells when the Magpies could not get a grip of the game.
Howe’s players eventually did show some composure in the latter stages, and it led to them creating some great chances. However, they could not find the back of the net.
The emotion inside St James’ Park when Newcastle have played in the Champions League has been brilliant, but Dortmund were able to manage it and force it into a negative, unlike PSG.
Games like Wednesday night show how far Newcastle still have to go at this level – although there is no shame in that given our lack of experience.
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