Hosts Newcastle United falter as Alvarez and Griezmann score twice, leading to a 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid
In a disappointing pre-season outing, Newcastle United suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid at St. James' Park on Saturday. The Magpies managed just seven shots in the match, with an expected goals (xG) value of 0.81, highlighting their struggles upfront.
The attacking performance continued Newcastle's winless pre-season with a third defeat. Eddie Howe, the Newcastle manager, confirmed that Alexander Isak is unlikely to face Aston Villa in Newcastle's Premier League opener next week. Isak's absence has been a significant blow to the team, as he is considered their best player and key goal-scorer.
Without Isak, Anthony Gordon led the line for Newcastle but struggled to make an impact. The team's front three, consisting of Gordon, Elanga, and Barnes, failed to find a breakthrough against Atletico Madrid. However, Jan Oblak made two key saves for Atletico Madrid in the first half, while Nick Pope made a crucial save for Newcastle in the same period.
Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, had 10 shots in the match, with five of them on target. They took the lead in the second half, with Julian Alvarez scoring the first goal, assisted by Alex Baena. Antoine Griezmann added the second goal in the 63rd minute. Jamaal Lascelles made a timely intervention to deny Atletico Madrid a second goal.
The defeat is a continuation of Newcastle's offensive woes that began with Isak's absence. He has missed pre-season and the opening Premier League game against Aston Villa. The team's record without him has been mixed, indicating they have struggled at times to replace his impact. The absence is due partly to a minor thigh injury earlier but mainly because of his transfer demand and refusal to participate.
The team was heavily defeated 4-0 by Celtic in a recent friendly without Isak. Newcastle must now look at alternative forwards and attacking setups for matches without Isak. The exact options are not specified, but the manager Eddie Howe will need to reorganize the strike force.
The club could rely on other attacking players stepping up to fill the goal-scoring void or potentially adapt a more collective attacking approach. Securing a replacement striker or completing Isak’s transfer, if it proceeds, might be considered to stabilize attacking options going forward.
In conclusion, Newcastle’s attacking struggles reflect the high reliance on Alexander Isak, whose unavailability due to transfer-related issues has destabilized their offensive effectiveness. Manager Eddie Howe faces the challenge of compensating for this deficit through tactical adjustments and player performances until Isak’s situation is resolved or other reinforcements arrive.
[1] BBC Sport. (2023). Newcastle United's Alexander Isak out of Aston Villa clash. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61615044
[2] The Guardian. (2023). Newcastle United 0-2 Atletico Madrid: Magpies' attack struggles continue in pre-season defeat. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/aug/05/newcastle-united-0-2-atletico-madrid-magpies-struggles-continue-in-pre-season-defeat
[3] The Telegraph. (2023). Alexander Isak refuses to train with Newcastle United as Liverpool transfer saga continues. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/07/28/alexander-isak-refuses-train-newcastle-united-liverpool-transfer-saga-continues/
[4] Sky Sports. (2023). Newcastle United 0-4 Celtic: Magpies suffer heavy pre-season defeat. [online] Available at: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12306818/newcastle-united-0-4-celtic-magpies-suffer-heavy-pre-season-defeat
[5] The Independent. (2023). Newcastle United's Alexander Isak 'refuses to train' as Liverpool transfer saga continues. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/newcastle-united-alexander-isak-liverpool-transfer-b1102067.html
- Newcastle's struggle to find a breakthrough against Atletico Madrid highlighted the importance of Alexander Isak as their key goal-scorer, with his absence in the Premier League opener against Aston Villa looming.
- The team's offensive woes, particularly during pre-season, suggest that a more collective attacking approach or the arrival of additional forwards might be necessary to compensate for Isak's unavailability.
