Newcastle United 3-1 Brentford: Dominic Scurr Carabao Cup reaction

Shields Gazette

Newcastle United progressed to the semi-final of the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 Brentford.

Transcript

00:00Newcastle United are through to their second Carabao Cup semi-final in the last three years.

00:07Still wanting to go that one step further but good habit to be in because before Eddie Howe

00:12in the takeover was two semi-finals in the last 20 years and no final. They've obviously got to

00:21the final of the Carabao Cup a couple of seasons ago and will be looking to do the same again after

00:27brushing Brentford aside at St James' Park this evening. Eddie Howe explained the last time

00:32Newcastle reached the semi-final they beat Leicester here at St James' Park. There was a

00:36real sort of energy about the place. Tonight it was slightly different it was more of a job done

00:42we've been here we've done it before and yes let's chant about Wembley this is an expectation now

00:48rather than a dream and yeah it was good to see from Newcastle tonight who I mean it wasn't the

00:55greatest game in the world but hey plenty to cheer about because Sandro Tonali great strike

01:01inside the opening 10 minutes his first goal since his debut and as much as he's been very good in

01:07the recent games since he's got a run in the side and found a home in that number six role that

01:14the goals have alluded and he hasn't had too many chances tonight had two that came his way in the

01:19first half and took both of them brilliantly two really good goals to put Newcastle in control

01:24could have had a hat trick in the second half had one blocked I actually got up a stat during the

01:30game at halftime it's 36 braces now for Newcastle United players since the last hat trick which was

01:36scored by Iose Perez here against Southampton so that was yeah 2019 I think it was yeah Newcastle

01:46tonight easy made a easy work of it against Brentford who a couple weeks ago or 10 days ago

01:53gave Newcastle a really good game down at the JTEC community stadium Newcastle's team didn't have

01:57Sandro Tonali in the starting lineup that day but hey that midfield has found some real balance the

02:03last few games with Joe Linton and Bruno Gimaraes in there but slight blow obviously Joe Linton

02:12going off injured at halftime he'll miss the Ipswich game anyway but nasty gash to his head

02:17Nathan Collins I mean had VAR been in place tonight maybe he could have been punished because

02:24nasty elbow and then he stamps on Joe Linton's head that sounds a lot more graphic than it possibly

02:30was in reality but going up to winner head iron he does catch Joe Linton and he nasty gashed down

02:36the side of his face so yeah another blow for Newcastle as well not to dwell on the negatives

02:42too much but we saw Fabian Scheer and Bruno Gimaraes get booked during the game and probably

02:48a lesser known rule is two book bookings in up to the quarterfinal stage in the Cowboy Cup

02:54results in a one match ban even though the bookings after this point effectively if you've had one

03:00booking get wiped for the semi-final so to prevent yellow card bookings for the final really is the

03:06idea but first leg of the semi-final whoever Newcastle end up playing Bruno and Fabian Scheer

03:12will miss that and Fabian Scheer got on the score sheet again tonight four goals for the season for

03:17him he's finding a little knack of popping up in the right place at the right time for Newcastle

03:22and the goals have really returned to St. James's Park the past three games 10 goals asked Eddie

03:27how of the turning a corner in attacking sense because the opening games at St. James's Park

03:32even though Newcastle were playing well at times and getting results up until a point anyway

03:39I've had some poor results don't get me wrong as well here but the goals consistently weren't

03:43really coming if they were winning games it was one nil they got a two nil win against Chelsea

03:48I think that was the first time other than Spurs back in August that they'd scored more than more

03:53than once in a game and here at St. James's Park but now three goals against Liverpool four goals

03:59against Leicester three goals against Brentford that attacking sort of flair and determination

04:06in the way the free-flowing attacking at times as well getting the likes of Sandro Tonali involved

04:12Bruno, Joe Linton the two full backs as well bombing forward it's really good to see and I think

04:17it's no coincidence I mean Alexander Isak probably had one of his quieter games tonight but no

04:22coincidence that Anthony Gordon is playing much better back in his favoured left wing position

04:28as well another good performance from him tonight with an assist and yeah now unlike the last time

04:33Newcastle reached the Carabao Cup semi-final where I think by the time the draw was made or

04:40by the time they'd progressed they were the highest ranked team left in the competition

04:44this had third in the table Man U were just below them obviously they ended up finishing above them

04:49but then it was Southampton relegation battle team and Nottingham Forest as well this season

04:55quite different Liverpool and Arsenal teams competing right at the top of the table teams

05:00where Newcastle rarely win away from home and there'll be a two-legged semi-final of course as

05:05well and then Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur again you probably if you're choosing

05:11what team do you want do you want the winner from that Manchester United Spurs game or would you

05:16rather take them in a one-off game in the final or it's it's hard Eddie Howe was asked that question

05:22he just said look we'll wait and see we'll wait and see what the draw is but one thing he did

05:27won although he sort of dismissed it was a second leg back here at St James's Park because it worked

05:35so well the last time against Southampton that momentum that we're going to Wembley vibe the

05:42chance from the crowd as well and here at St James's Park you'll back Newcastle against anyone

05:48as we've seen this season the big games Newcastle get up for them it's the games like Ipswich Town

05:54coming up which Eddie Howe said his focus switches very quickly to that have been the issue so

05:59hopefully the feeling now after the last two games Leicester and then quickly following it up with a

06:06win tonight has really brought a bit of feel-good factor a bit of confidence back to Newcastle

06:11United the scoring goals they're playing well although I think if you look at the last three

06:17games even though they won 3-0 tonight 4-0 at the weekend 3-3 against Liverpool I'd probably say this

06:22was the the least least convincing is too strong it was probably the poorest game of football

06:31but still Newcastle made things so easy they made things easy against Leicester at the weekend but

06:36just strolled through the game tonight early goal from Sandro Tonali Brentford had a couple of half

06:41chances that had a one-on-one which Martin Dubravka saved and then consolation deep into

06:46stoppage time but other than that it was it was plain sailing for Newcastle who once Tonali's

06:51goal went in never really looked in too much doubt of not making it to the final four of the

06:56competition and now it brings a bit of feel-good factor something to hang the season on be positive

07:02about heading into 2025 league form has been up and down inconsistent but now they've got something

07:09they can look at and go right we can make something of this season now cup semi-final

07:17potential final dare I even say a potential trophy getting too far ahead of ourselves but in the

07:23meantime Eddie Howe was keen to stress cup semi-final all well and good need to turn their

07:29attention now to the Premier League busy festive schedule some tough games coming up Ipswich

07:34Aston Villa back here on Boxing Day Manchester United Tottenham two teams that could potentially

07:40be playing in the semi-final so they'll get a preview of two tougher way tests there against

07:46potential opposition or one of the potential oppositions anyway so yeah Newcastle do need

07:52to take this confidence they've built up in the Cowboy Cup and translate it in into the Premier

07:58League and get a run of results because it's been just a bit stop start like I say we've got a

08:03couple of good results before the last international break against Arsenal and Brentford

08:08Brentford Nottingham Forest and then regressed in the league really easy game against Leicester at

08:16the weekend and a really convincing win now can they go back that up they did back it up tonight

08:22but can they go back it up at Ipswich which will be a real test and we'll have it all covered we'll

08:27be down there just before Christmas covering it every step of the way on the Shields Gazette so

08:33check out shieldsgazette.com stuff for myself Don Skirr and my colleague as well Joe Buck

08:39over the festive period we'll be at Eddie House press conference on Friday looking ahead to the

08:44game and of course we'll have player ratings from tonight over on the Shields Gazette already

08:49Sandro Tonali my pick for man of the match tonight I think that goes without saying but

08:53decent performances all around from Newcastle tonight and yeah there'll be more report reaction

08:59from Eddie Howe to come over on shieldsgazette.com so please check that out and thanks for joining me

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