Newcastle did just enough in south-east London to progress to the next round of the Carabao Cup. Joe Willock scored the only goal of this boisterous, fun, slightly vague cup tie against a spirited Millwall team that was not so much down to the bare bones, as the bones beneath the bones. By the end there was a sense both sets of fans were more or less happy.
Millwall for the vigour of the performance and Newcastle for the result, the clean sheet and any signs of early progress in the dawning of the age of Jaissle-ball. This was a significant win for Newcastle, who have been excitingly direct at times under their twinkly new manager, with his much-trailed blueprint for rapid transition, hyper-vertical attack and getting it forward quick-smart to the lads up front, but who still need to groove that system. Millwall also are not sure what they are yet this season, although this is more to do with injuries.
They have 13 players out, which is at least an improvement on the previous 15. Absurdly, Alex Neil has already come under some pressure after a couple of losses. Football needs its irrational edge, but there is also a limit.
At kick-off the sky was still a deep blackish blue above the lip of the Dockers Stand, the lights of the south London trains trundling past the unfilled corners of the ground. The Den was its usual self, a place that always manages somehow to generate that unique crackle of nonchalant hostility, no matter how midweek the crowd (and this one was a near-full house). Newcastle had most of the ball early on, but looked like what they are, a team still finding its shapes and rhythms.
It is a fair point perhaps. Newcastle’s manager does have a very precise idea of the patterns and tempo-shifts he wants from his team. This sort of systems-football can lead to periods of drift while players learn the brief.
Newcastle settled and began to dominate possession. Willock had the first real chance, snatching the ball from Romain Esse deep in the right-back zone and shooting powerfully but too close to Filip Marschall. In return Millwall offered graft, full-stretch defence and two deep banks of four in the classic old-school style.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
