NUFC vs Chelsea

[Zippity]

Either team could win this and I'd take the point right now to avoid heartbreak.

Should have been 3-2, assuming we scored the pen that should have been given. Mind, Chelsea have played very well in this second half.

[toonviking]

Bunch of soft players...

[Zippity]

Cheated out of that.

[OwdBillCook]

Sh!te. 2 points lost there, after that 1st half.

A great game if you were a neutral I guess.
Not much consolation. EXCEPT that it was so, so much better than the rabbits-in-headlights dithering performance in the derby.
I reckon 8 times out of 10 we'd have beaten Chelsea on that performance

[toonviking]

Another disgrace half ruins another game.

Its the same in every feckin game.

[PhoneymcRingRing]

No Pope to blame anymore. Howe cant play Woltemade and Wissa at the same time? Well that?s a bit g disappointment

[Zippity]

I think credit has to be given to Chelsea, too, mind...they were very good at times in that second half.

[OwdBillCook]

What is it with Elanga? How can a player costing that much look like a headless chicken?
Some terrible decision making.......

[Nufcian]

More points dropped.

Regardless of the ref/VAR, we had a 2 goal lead FFS? then only really respond to a p!ss poor second half performance when we are level again.

Always reactive, never proactive.

[Ragatino]

My ten bob.

First half excellent. Dominant, battered Chelsea. Deserved 2-0 lead.

2nd half. Chelsea brought on 140m quids worth of midfield talent.

Enzo Fernandez (https://www.transfermarkt.com/enzo-f...spieler/648195)
&
Andrey Santos(https://www.transfermarkt.com/andrey...spieler/743600)

A club that has spent over 1.2B quid on players, Chelsea's wage bill is 167.2 million quid for the 2025-2026 season.
In the same time NUFC have spent 250-300m quid - wages NUFC's is £109.7 million quid. Clearly that gulf in talent was the difference as Bruno and Tonal slowed down towards the end.

Eddie replaced a much improved JJ Ramsey for Willock. Like for like when the game was crying out for more defensive solidity. Willock would be a good sale to generate cash and bring in a 20-23 yr old proper No.6 showing quality on the continent with huge potential.

No.6 - needed
It's clear that the defence is looking a bit rickety. I don't put that down the CBs. At 60mins, this game at 2-1 was perfect for a proper No.6 to come on and just shut down that gap between CB and CMFs. It's a key position that needs to be addressed. Whether it's Kees Smit or the French fella it doesn't matter. The one tool the midfield needs is a more defensive focused CMF.

Ramsdale's Position for the FK
It was a laughably pathetic soft free kick in comparison with other fouls that Madley let go without blowing up for a fan. Annoyingly it was a very well placed free kick but a right footer, striking a central free kick is only going to one side when his run up and body shape is so straight. To open up his body and whip it wide of the post and curl it in would deliver a weak strike. It was always going into that corner. Disappointing!

Refereeing incompetence or corruption?

Geordie Journos cover it very well - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ikjmkaz97o

Barnes fouled clean through - Last man - red card - not given.

Woltemade back heel handball - I don't know what the rules are because the hand was not in a natural position and the ball hit the hand in the area

Gordon Penalty foul - Clear consensus across all pundits - Stone wall

Malo Gusto & Cockroach persistent fouling - both should have seen red via 2 yellows

Garnacho's late tackle 'potential ankle breaker' on Jacob Ramsey.

https://www.footballinsider247.com/ex-refs-chief-scared-for-serious-injuries-as-chelsea-star-should-have-been-sent-off-vs-newcastle-im-sorry/

There was a similar unpunished foul against Fulham. These tackles against cartel clubs are straight reds. 2 in a row now on NUFC players and nothing. Ramsey has already missed a chunk of the season due to a similarly bad injury from a late bruising ankly high foul.

Not good enough.

Caicado Punched Tonali twice, no card? I don't believe what I saw in front of the lino and the ref no more than 5 meters behind.

It's crazy to think that had Madley actually been in control of that game Chelsea would have been down to 9 possibly 7 and have another 4 on yellow cards.

The worst refereeing performance this season. Shocking!

That said, to quote the immortal words of Dana White 'Never leave it in the hands of the judges' - The 2 goal lead at half time was enough for NUFC to take all 3 points. Regardless of the foul play and poor officiating. That game should have been put to bed.

I thought Barnes had done, shot just wide from Bruno's laser focused cross.

I feel for Elanga, I know a lot have written him off but if the lad had slipped the ball across to Barnes that would have been 3-2. He's decision making has to improve. I guess last season he buries that chance. For his sake and ours I do hope it comes good for the lad sooner than later.

[Zippity]

Worst refereeing performance in a long, long time.

What made it much words was VAR covering up for their mate.

Refusing to send him to the screen for the Gordon challenge is absolutely scandalous.

Spurs had a players sent off for exactly what Garnacho did.

VAR admitted the pull on Barnes and didn't give the foul on him in the box a second look.

The handball? Anyone doubt that the Big 6 would have been given that?

There's zero doubt in my mind that some teams are treated differently than others-whether it's a conscious or subconscious bias is a different conversation.

[Ragatino]

Worst refereeing performance in a long, long time.

What made it much words was VAR covering up for their mate.

Refusing to send him to the screen for the Gordon challenge is absolutely scandalous.

Spurs had a players sent off for exactly what Garnacho did.

VAR admitted the pull on Barnes and didn't give the foul on him in the box a second look.

The handball? Anyone doubt that the Big 6 would have been given that?

There's zero doubt in my mind that some teams are treated differently than others-whether it's a conscious or subconscious bias is a different conversation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAa5dr3SJ5w&pp=ygUUbmV3Y2FzdGxlIHVuaXRlZCBmLmM%3D

I've watched the highlights about 10 times.

Malo Gusto is a complete cheat. The fraud lay on the floor like he was critically injured in the build up to the first goal to try and get the Ref & VAR to over turn it. Not even a foul. Barely any contract between him and Gordon.

Later when they lads break and Gordon is sprinting to catch up Gusto isn't even looking at the ball but staring at Gordon and fouls him on the edge of the box to try and block his run. The Cheat comes off worse his boot and shin pad comes off and he, once again, fakes an injury - when Gordon's shot goes over the bar the moron keeper runs screaming up to the ref and gets a yellow card. VAR should have called the Ref to the monitor for serious foul play.

Not sure if it's in these highlights but Caicado elbows/hit Sandro in the head in front of the ref and doesn't even get a card. It's a straight red. Clear and obvious error - the definition of VARs remit. Nothing doing.

The inconsistency is unacceptable, VAR was supposed to be 'Parity and consistency' to the leagues officiating.


One question from me. The Premier League brings the best players from all over the world. Why isn't the same for the Refs? Surely Prem Refs get paid more than other league refs? PGMOL should go and recruit the best referees from across Europe. They would be more likely to be impartial and unbiased.

It's clear that the gimps the PGMOL roll out currently are not fit for purpose. Incompetent clowns aside from Michael Oliver, but, he a Geordie so can't ref our matches.

Typical. Once again the best of the bunch if from Newcastle. Best people on earth! hahaha

[Jammy89]

The fact that every pundit has said it should have been a pen, is almost unheard of as well.

Pathetic, cover up by VAR.

It's the standard any other club, particularly cartel would have got the pen.

Joke, ****ing joke.

[Ragatino]

It's one of two things incompetence or corruption.

If it's incompetence then those involved should be removed from their positions.
If it's corruption then those involved should be prosecuted and jailed.

Neither sees the team on VAR, Madley or clearly corrupt bald C**t Howard Webb continue in the position.