I saw exactly why Newcastle United are missing ‘unbelievable’ £10m player so much on Monday night

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Some of Newcastle United’s issues simply will not go away until they are over their injury crisis.

That was evident once again on Monday night, as Eddie Howe’s side were beaten 3-2 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

It was a massively disappointing performance, made all the more painful considering how average the Blues are. Yet Newcastle made them look like giants, as they fell to their 12th defeat of the season.

There was so much wrong with the Magpies’ performance. There were individual mistakes, with Newcastle gifting Chelsea their first goal. Elsewhere, there was a clear lack of energy off the ball. Intensity was once our identity, but that is not currently the case.

Tactically, Eddie Howe got it wrong at Stamford Bridge. His side should have sat deeper and hit Chelsea on the break.

But one of the biggest issues stems from the fact that Howe simply does not have some of his best players available, one of which is Nick Pope.

Nick Pope absence was evident yet again against Chelsea

Throughout Pope’s injury absence, Newcastle fans have been reminded of what he brings to the side. Martin Dubravka has done alright since coming in, but his shortcomings are so noticeable, and have been catastrophic at times.

The Slovakian simply is not as commanding as Pope. He is unable to rush out and sweep, which creates loads of space for the opposition to run in to. That then leads to the back four in front of him being unsettled, as they do not know whether to step up or drop off.

It was a constant issue on Monday night, with Sven Botman and Fabian Schar getting caught in no man’s land.

While Dubravka has had some good moments this season, his run in the team has only served as a reminder of how important Pope is. For example, I do not think Chelsea’s first goal goes in if Pope is playing.

The £10million man is an ‘unbelievable‘ shot-stopper, while the way he sweeps up and clears danger in behind has become so evident during his injury layoff. In contrast, Dubravka often looks glued to his line, which was the case on multiple occasions against Chelsea.

This is an issue that is going to continue relenting until Pope returns. Hopefully a comeback is not too far away, with Eddie Howe hoping to welcome him back in April.