Newcastle United failed in France last night, and Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi may have inadvertently given Eddie Howe the best piece of advice in the wake of that defeat.
Despite taking an early lead through another Harvey Barnes goal, Newcastle United threw it away within five minutes of the second half.
Who was the most DISAPPOINTING Newcastle player vs Marseille?
A Nick Pope mistake was Newcastle’s undoing, but all across the pitch there were problems for the Magpies.
Newcastle fans were unhappy with Anthony Gordon’s performance in the central striker position, which has led to Eddie Howe coming under fire for his team selection.
What Roberto De Zerbi said after Newcastle game
There was no such issue for Roberto De Zerbi and Marseille. The Italian got his team selection spot on, most notably by including 17-year-old sensation Darryl Bakola.
When asked about that decision, the Marseille boss told the French press: “It was a risk, but necessary. Sometimes you have to dare. You know, players are not like apricots: they only mature while playing. The Velodrome is a generous stadium with young players, and they supported him tonight, even in his mistakes.
“I preferred to play him rather than Angel Gomes, for physical reasons. Faced with Newcastle’s high pressure, his size and ability to protect the ball could help us. I simply asked him to play like in the park with his friends, without pressure.”
Interestingly, Angel Gomes had spoken about Newcastle before the game, but De Zerbi made the bold call to drop him for the teenage midfielder Bakola. And that risk massively paid off.
On the nature of the game, De Zerbi added: “Apart from the first ten minutes, we were a bit lost, up in the clouds. After that, we played a great match. We played well, not perfectly, but we created a lot of chances and suffered little, despite Newcastle’s quality.
“We won a big match, and I’m very happy for the players, especially Bakola, Weah, Pavard, Balerdi, and Vermeeren. Hojbjerg and Greenwood also maintained their level. It’s a great evening, especially for Bakola, who showed courage and personality, even after a few mistakes.”
- READ MORE: Newcastle United player ratings vs Marseille with 5/10 star anonymous amid Nick Pope’s big mistake
Eddie Howe should have given Sam Alabi a chance
Frustratingly, Newcastle had their own teenage star on the bench last night, and he didn’t get a sniff of action.
We suspected Sam Alabi wouldn’t get his chance, and granted, the fact the young midfielder even travelled with the squad is a huge step. But, Howe must surely be looking at the performance of Bakola for Marseille and wondering why he didn’t throw Alabi into the fray.
Harvey Barnes continues to prove he’s Newcastle’s best finisher by an absolute mile
Newcastle fans may have given Anthony Gordon a hard time for his display last night, but they will always be more forgiving when it comes to young talent breaking through.
With Newcastle’s squad depth being a real issue right now, Howe needs all the help he can get. He really needs to start taking risks, daring to try new things, and leaning on the young, hungry players he has at his disposal.
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