"Newcastle may have been abject on Sunday, but in a run of six wins in eight games, one aberration is perhaps permissible. This was a third successive Champions League success, all without conceding, and Eddie Howe's side can now look forward to the playoff round at least, perhaps even a topeight place and automatic passage to the last 16. Quite apart from anything else, they are bigger than most opponents they face in Europe and that, ultimately, was what underlay their victory against Athletic."
"They are capable of winning five out of six as they did between hammering Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium and outplaying Tottenham in the Carabao Cup. But they are also capable of performances such as the abject display they produced in losing 3-1 against West Ham on Sunday. They are both the amiable doctor and the vicious criminal, both ferociously energetic winners and lethargic disappointments, both Jekyll and Hyde."
Newcastle achieved a third consecutive Champions League victory without conceding and sit well-placed for the playoff round with a chance of finishing in the top eight and securing automatic progression to the last 16. The team shows extreme variability, capable of dominant European performances and multiple wins in close succession but also of starkly poor displays, such as a heavy domestic defeat. The side’s approach depends on relentless energy, so small drops in tempo precipitate large falls in quality. Fixture congestion and repeated starts for certain players increase fatigue. Some players face criticism for selective performance levels across matches.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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