Forever Blue With Ian Cheeseman: Solo Trip To Newcastle Exceeds Expectations

I can’t deny that I really enjoyed my trip to Newcastle United on Sunday.

Despite travelling on my own, since my life long friend Charlie decided that the persistent standing and increasing bad manners (and I’m being kind there) in the away end meant he’d generally just stick to home games, I had a great trip.

I called in at the “Angel of the North”, which I’ve passed on the A1 many times, to add a bit of colour to my matchday vlogs. It’s spectacular and impressive, but it’s the same rusty colour that the “B of the Bang” was, which I remember from the Etihad Stadium, back when it was the City of Manchester Stadium. 

The irony of my position at St James’ Park was that I was on the front row, so I was able to sit down during the game. The away end is high up in the third tier, so I had an excellent overview of the game. What was obvious, right from the start, was that City’s double inverted fullback system, which was presumably brought in to make up for the fact Erling Haaland doesn’t contribute anything in midfield, doesn’t work against the best teams.

A week earlier City had swept Bournemouth aside and on the opening day of the Premier League season, the Blues had made light work of West Ham. The inverted fullback system didn’t make much difference in those games because City were so superior to the opposition that they’d probably have won with ten men. 

Newcastle United are a club on the rise. They have rich new owners and are trying to replicate the rise to success that the Blues have achieved during the last decade or so. They can’t go out and splash the cash like City did, in the first few years, because of the tightening of FFP but they are still trying to build something special. It might take them longer but the early signs are that they’re making good progress.

They have an amazing fan base and they feel like they’re similar to City fans being down to earth and have an amazing passion for their club. The atmosphere before, during and after Sunday’s game was brilliant. I wish them well. 

I loved watching the young Kieren Trippier, as he came through the youth team at City. I have to admit I shed a tear, during commentary, when he limped onto the field to collect his FA Youth Cup winners medal. He led the Magpies brilliantly on Sunday, but it was the rampaging runs of Allan Saint-Maximim and Joelinton that were causing all City’s problems. 

This was a team, a club, that wasn’t frightened of taking City on. 

Pep’s style of coaching is to “stick to the plan” and stay in position and believe in the system. It works brilliantly and is a joy to watch but the one weakness of this is that brilliant individuals can sometimes cause City problems. Not having fullbacks who are specialists at defending is one of the flaws in this blueprint. Who am I to complain though? I’ve been watching the best football on the planet during the Pep era and I never want it to end. 

This week the Blues face Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium and we’ve seen the problems the Eagles have caused City in the last few years. They will counter attack with quality and pace so it will be fascinating to see if Pep changes the shape of his team for the visit of Patrick Viera’s team.

Football at it’s best, like it was at Newcastle on Sunday, where two teams go for it with every part of their soul, is why I love the beautiful game. I can’t wait to take my seat on Saturday for the next instalment.