OPINION
Newcastle United failed in their quest to pick up their first Premier League victory of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park.
The hosts fell behind to Beram Kayal’s deflected 29th minute strike and never looked like recovering against Chris Hughton’s well organised Seagulls side.
For the first time it feels like fingers are beginning to be pointed at Rafael Benitez after the team’s latest dreadful performance. Simply put: the display wasn’t good enough and the manager must accept the blame at some point.
The Magpies seemed to have little idea of how to break Brighton down and, as the game wore on, they visibly looked confused about how to get themselves back into the game.
It was as if Benitez didn’t prepare them for what would happen if the visitors got themselves a lead. There was no strategy for getting in behind the steadfast Brighton defence, no pace to penetrate the backline and not enough quality to bend one in from distance.
It was simply woeful and a performance that bad ultimately reflects on the man in charge. The team continued to knock the ball out wide and hope for the best when crossing it into the box.
That was a tactic that continually failed but was one that the Magpies went back to again and again. At no point did Benitez precipitate a change in strategy, nor did he make any meaningful substitutions.
When you’re 1-0 down at home to Brighton, it is inexcusable to bring on Joselu as your sole substitute. Did Benitez feel that was the only thing he could do to change the outcome? Bring on a less-than-prolific target man. That’s your answer? Come on.
It wasn’t good enough from the players but there wasn’t enough being done by the manager to change things either. Benitez needs to accept blame for this defeat, because if there’s any more of these games he’ll be getting increasingly hot under the collar.
